Moss Custom Leather

Mark offers a limited number of fits and basic designs but each holster is made with unmitigated
attention to detail, fit and quality. Custom work is also accepted so give ’em a shout if you have special needs.

Have you ever used a product and thought to yourself, “It’s not bad, but if it would just do this other thing, it would be great?” While most people have, my friend Mark Moss is an extreme example of type in that regard. In his case, while serving for over 20 years as a sworn law enforcement officer, including having retired from federal law enforcement service, the topic was leather gear.

Now, understand something. For my entire career as a federal special agent, I was the office “gun geek.” I was the guy in the office, like I’m sure many of you are, who people with questions about guns, knives and their various support items came to for answers. Only the people coming to me were my fellow special agents, as well as other federal, state and local law enforcement folks on our various task forces.

Most of the time I had an answer ready. On some occasions when more research was called for, my first call was to Mark. He almost always had an answer, or would ponder a bit and call me back. He’s always been detail oriented, and never one to ignore a question or leave it unanswered. He lives for details, for the sort of minutiae most of us would just shrug at and move on from, beating a hasty retreat.

As a result of this, Mark applied himself to the leather belts and holsters which were the choice of professionals back in the ’90s when we both started carrying a gun for Uncle Sam. Invariably, Mark would find gear he liked, if only they had “this” additional feature or “this” other design mod. This went on for years.

IWB your cup of tea? Moss Leather can make you a cup, along with accessories like mag pouches.
All done-up beautifully, of course.

So?

Eventually, Mark decided to put his money where his mouth was and started making leather belts. He likely got tired of the “rest” of us telling him if he could do it better, he should. So he did. He read, he studied, he talked to successful leather makers, he even haunted the internet — for years. The end result? He learned how to make leather belts. He even bought machines to help. Those old, mysterious cast iron devices capable of doing what needed doing.

Once he retired, Mark Moss opened his own custom leather company using the witty name of Moss Custom Leather. While he specializes in leather belts and sheaths, he’s also expanding his line to other goodies. He’s now making a limited run of holsters for a few of the more common guns generally carried by one might say, “serious” professionals. Including you.

Mark makes gear he would carry himself, and his standards are bordering on the obsessive. I’ve seen him remake gear from the beginning because his maker’s stamp was not placed properly when he marked a finished product — tossing expensive leather on the trash heap in the process. When it comes to the holsters he makes, he makes only a few — and even then only for a few models and styles.

Single- and two-ply belts are available, from almost 1/4" thick to over 1/4" thick — burly! Note great
colors and buckles are polished brass, polished nickel and brushed nickel. Classic stuff here.

No Kydex

Mark is practical in the extreme. While he recognizes Kydex is an excellent choice for holsters and accessories, he gets a bit nostalgic about leather.

“Kydex is king for holsters, but leather is, well … leather. There will always be people who appreciate a good leather holster. And you can’t really make a belt out of Kydex. I‘m making gear for those folks.”

Mark’s belts are the real story. Too often you see someone get a good firearm, drop it into a decent holster and then carry it on a cheap belt. Mark makes heavy, well-built leather belts looking spectacular. Nearly half of the agents in Mark’s last office were wearing belts they bought from him. That’s impressive enough in terms of raw numbers. And, when you consider how famously cheap cops can be, it becomes nearly unbelievable. His gear is that good.

Mark’s a veteran of the U.S. Army, local policing and federal law enforcement. As a result, he doesn’t mince words and will absolutely not waste your time. Mark will tell you right up front if he’s the right guy for your particular request, sending you on your way if you need someone with a different skill set than his own. If he takes your job, though, you can rest assured the materials and craftsmanship will be absolutely the best. And it will be made completely in America by a man who has spent his life serving our country — and who knows what good gear is and how to make it.

Of course, that’s just my opinion so you should be your own judge. But I’ll wager you’ll agree with me.

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